5th Ward Human Development Center (HDC)
5th Ward HDC is in Houston’s 5th Ward, the community most of Texas incarcerated population live in. Founder Joseph Clark has been successfully serving returning citizens since 2023. Mr. Clark learned the philosophy and practice of care-giving to the drug and trauma afflicted from the leaders in the larger community that he is still very much part of. 5th Ward HDC, a community of Peer Mentors have been serving the ex-incarcerated without any bias to their personal faith.
Salaam Reentry Founder and the Team learned that you must have the evidence- based system in place before you acquire a transition facility. Salaam’s two collaborative transition homes: Shifa House and Salaam House, were in North and SW Houston suburbs. These were flop houses that didn’t last long. We didn’t have trained Peer Mentors with rehabilitation credentials. 5th Ward HDC has a caring and disciplined environment under a House Manager’s supervision. Qualified instructors hold three weekly classes. Residents are held responsible to stay sober. They lose the privilege to stay at the house, if they fail their weekly drug test.
5th Ward HDC’s biggest need is support from the local communities and organizations to sponsor a new resident for his/her first three months to work on their social skills. Jobs are not the first thing they need. They have to clean their inside first, so they will not go back to jails and prisons. During incarceration, brothers and sisters have taken Shahadah but staying Muslims and successfully transitioning to the world will be hard without structured program like 5th Ward HDC.
Salaam seeks $1,500 donors to sponsor a brother of sister for three months.
Salaam Reentry Founder and the Team learned that you must have the evidence- based system in place before you acquire a transition facility. Salaam’s two collaborative transition homes: Shifa House and Salaam House, were in North and SW Houston suburbs. These were flop houses that didn’t last long. We didn’t have trained Peer Mentors with rehabilitation credentials. 5th Ward HDC has a caring and disciplined environment under a House Manager’s supervision. Qualified instructors hold three weekly classes. Residents are held responsible to stay sober. They lose the privilege to stay at the house, if they fail their weekly drug test.
5th Ward HDC’s biggest need is support from the local communities and organizations to sponsor a new resident for his/her first three months to work on their social skills. Jobs are not the first thing they need. They have to clean their inside first, so they will not go back to jails and prisons. During incarceration, brothers and sisters have taken Shahadah but staying Muslims and successfully transitioning to the world will be hard without structured program like 5th Ward HDC.
Salaam seeks $1,500 donors to sponsor a brother of sister for three months.
|
|
|
|
"At 5th Ward Islamic Center, we are committed to fostering spiritual growth and community unity through Islamic teachings.
Our mission is to serve as a welcoming space for prayer, education, and social support for the entire 5th Ward community and beyond. Thanks to Salaam Reentry Program for our startup in this underprivileged neighborhood."
Our mission is to serve as a welcoming space for prayer, education, and social support for the entire 5th Ward community and beyond. Thanks to Salaam Reentry Program for our startup in this underprivileged neighborhood."
Salaam Reentry is a faith-based community-partner with Texas County Jails and Texas Female Prisons. As of July 2026, we have two Muslim Chaplains as part of Sheriffs’ Chaplaincy Teams in Harris and Travis Counties. Salaam Reentry’s Female Prison Coordinator started serving two female prison units in May 2024. Currently he is serving sisters in eight units in Gatesville and Marlin.